Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-01-28
How Gettysburg was Lost.

General E. M. Law, Of South Carolina,
writing in the Century of his expert
ences at Gettysburg, tells of prop
osition which he made to General Hood
for an attack on the Union left, and says:
II found General Hood on the ridge where
his line had been formed, communicated to
him the information had obtained, and
pointed out the ease with which move
ment by the right flank might be made. He
| conceded fully with my views, but said
| that his orders were positive to attack in
front as soon as the left of the corps should
get into position. therefore entered a
formal protest against direct attack on the
grounds: l. That the great natural strength
dered the result of direct assault extreme
ly uncertain. 2. That, even if successful,
the victory would be purchased at too great
q sacrifice of life, and our troops would be
in no condition to improve it. 3. That a
front attack was unnecessary-the occupa-
ton of Round Top during the night by
moving upon it from the south, and the ex-
tension Of our ri ht wing from that point
| across the enemy's left and rear, being not
only practicable but easy. 4. That such q
movement would compel q change OF front
on the part Of the enemy, the abandon
ment of his strong position on the heights,
and force him to attack us in position.
| General Hood called up Captain Ham
| ilton, of his staff, and requested mo to re-
peat the protest to him, and the grounds on
| which it was made. He then directed
| Captain Hamilton to find General Long
street as quickly as possible and deliver
the protest, and to say to him that he
Oft at once, but in about ten minutes re-
turned. accompanied by Il staff officer of
General Longstreet, who said to General
Hood, in my hearing: General Longslreet
orders that you begin the attack at once.
Hood turned to me and merely said. 'You
! hear the order?' l at once moved nv
brigade to the assault. do not know
! whether the protest ever reached General
Lee. From the brief interval that elansed
between the time it was sent to Gencr II
Longstreet and the receipt OF the order to
begin the attack. 1 am inclined to think it
did not. General Longstreet has since sud
that he repeatedly advised against a front
| attack. and sugges ed Il movement by our
right flank. He may have thought. after
the rejection of this advice by General
Lee. that it was useless to press the matter
just here the battle OF Gettysburg was
lost to the Confederate arms. 1t is IL eless
to speculate upon the turn affairs ;ght
nave ltlAel IL VIC SOuicUcIdtc CuSnlry lHl
been in communication with the rest OF tue
army, and if General Stuart had kept Cen
eral Lee informed, as he should have done,
of the movements of the Federal army. In
considering the causes of the Confederate
failure on that particular field, we must
take the situation just as We find it. And
the situation was as follows The advance
Of the two armies encountered each other
on the LIST of July. An engagement ensued
in which the Confederates were victori us.
The Federal troops retired through Gettys-
burg aud took position along the heights
east of the town-a position which, if prop
erly defended, was practically impregnable
to direct attack.
"Tne whole matter then resolves itself
into this: General Lee failed at Gettysburg